Fabric-stretching machine.



P. GHATPIELD. FABRIC STRETGHING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 18, 1909. 964,088,v Patented July 12, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I. CHATFIBLD. FABRIC STRETCHING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 18, 1909. y 964,088. Patented July 12,1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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F. CHATFIELD. FABRIC STRETGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18, 1909.

Patented July 12, 1910.

fra/PN x5 WM x Z I F. CHATFIELD. v FABRIC STRETCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.18, 1909. 964088.s

/1/ /V 4d/77105155125. dfvf /7/7-0 /VE Ys Patented July 12, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I'. GHATPIELD. FABRIC STRETCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 18, 1909.

Patented July 12, 1910.

5 SHEETSSHBET 5.

lu" /T/VEJISES STATES! i l ,rra

Arana owl@- FABRIC-STRETCHING- MACHINE.

ecaoss.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 12, 1919.

Application led December 18, 1909. Serial No. 533,975.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it'known that I, FRANKLIN CHA'rFmLD, of Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fabric-Stretching Machines, of which the following is a specitica-tion. A

In the manufact-ure of knit underwear the fabric tubes, after leaving the knitting machines, are subjected to a washing, bleaching, drying and shrinking operation and are then stretched and rolled up preparatory to being formed into garments.

In stretching machines as usually -constructed, the middle portionof the fabric tube and the sides and-edges thereof are not stretched uniformly, 'the fabric being pulled or dragged out of shape atthe bends or folds where it comes in contact with the vedges of the spreader. This results in rows of stitches running irregularly up or down around the fabric or from side to side of the flattened tube, instead of in a straight line across it. Obviously when the rows of stitches do not run in a straight line across the tube considerable trouble will be eX- perienced in cutting out the garments.

The primary object of Vmy invention, therefore, is to provide a 'stretching machine in which the middle portion, as well as the edgesior sides of the flattened tube, will be subjected to a uniform stretching or widening pressure.

A further object is to provide a machine of comparatively simple construction and one which can be easily operated.

Other objects of the invention willappear from the following detailed description.

The invention consists generally in means for subjecting a tubular fabric to a uniform stretching. j

Further the invention consists in means for automatically applying a moistening agent to the fabric.

Further the invention consists in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fabric tube stretching machine embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the middle portion of the machine, Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the machine Alooking at the opposite side from the view in Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the detail construction. of the machine, Fig. 6 is a plan view of the tube stretcher proper, which is capable of removal from the machine through which the tube passes, Fig. 7 is a detail view illustrati'ng the arrangement of the driving rolls and the means for holding one of these rolls yieldingly toward the rolls of the stretcher, Fig. v8 is a detail view,l partially'in section, illustrating. the means by which the moistening or steaming of the fabric is effected, Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line m-m of Fig. 8, Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line y-{z/ of Fig. 8, Fig. 11 is a sectional view on' the line z-Le of Fig. 9.

In the drawing, 2 represents an upright frame in which the operating mechanism for stretching and moistening the fabric tube is arranged.

3 is a driving shaft having a pulley 4 and a driven roll 5 mounted on the shaft. Thel shaft 3 is journaled in the frame 2. A shaft 6 is journaled in the machine frame parallel with the shaft 3, and arms 7 are loosely mounted on the shaft 6 at each end thereof, (see Fig. l) and support at their upper ends a roll 8. The arms 7 depend below the shaft crank 12 is secured thereon and has a limited oscillating movement and is locked by means of a pin 13 fitting within holes in the machine frame. Fig. 4 illustrates this crank adjusted to bring the rolls into an operative position. When the crank is moved to allow the pin to enter the hole 14 the rolls 8 vand 5 will be separated and when vmoved to the hole 15 the rolls will be moved apart to such an extent that the tube stretching device, hereinafter described, can be taken out of the machine. A ear 16 is secured on the shaft 3 and meshes with a ear 17 on a stub sha-ft 18 journaled in one si e of the frame and said gear 17 meshes with an idle gear 19 on the shaft 6, through which the roll 8 is driven by a gear 20. '(See Figs. 1 and 5.) The shaft 18 projects through the frame of the machine and has a drlving connection 21 with a shaft of a roll 22 which is journaled in the lower portion of the machine frame' and has a drive 23 connecting it with a roll 24. The fabric tube passes under these rolls 22 and 24, as will hereinafter appear. A roll 25, journaled in the top of the frame, is driven from the drive shaft 3 through a belt 26. This roll 25 is preferably supported on brackets 27 which have slotted connections with the main frame and may be adjusted vertically to raise or lower the said roll.

I prefer to provide a fabric tightening device in the upper portion of the frame consisting of brackets 28, links 29 pivoted on a rod 30 and carrying a rod 31, over .which the fabric is passed. Set screws 32 allow the oscillation of the links 29 and permit the tension on the fabric to be increased ordecreased at will.

, The rolls 5 and 8 are covered with a yielding substance and between these rolls the fabric tube is fed. The stretching device, which forms an essential feature of my invention, is also arranged between these rolls and I will now proceed to describe it in detail.

33 is a frame, substantially rectangular in form, on each side of which bars 34 and 35 are centrally pivoted. (See Figs. 6 and 7.) These bars carry rolls arranged in pairs with corrugated surfaces, the upper rolls being designated by numerals 36 and 37 and the lower rolls by the numerals 36a and 37a. (See Fig. 7 The fabric tube passes between the rolls 5 and 36 and 37a on one side and the roll 8 and the rolls 37 and 36a on the other side, the fabric being held in contact with the corrugated surfaces of the rolls 36, 37, 36*1 and 37a by the pressure of theroll 8, such pressure being regulated by the tension of the spring 10 and the adjustment lof the crank 12.

Pivoted at 38 on the frame 33 are bell crank levers 39 which carry pivoted -tube opening loops 40, the upper ends of which cross one another, as indicated in Fig. l, and are fastened together at 41. These loops present curved or rounded upper ends and serve to spread or separate the wallsof the tube preparatory to its entering the stretchin mechanism. The opposite arms of the be l crank levers 39 have an adjustable connection by means of a bolt 42 in a vertical slot 43 which permits the oscillation of the levers toward and from one another to adapt them for the size of the tube or the degree of width desired. The arms 40 have curved surfaces 44, which contact with the walls of the tube asit enters the stretcher proper. Near these curved surfaces pulleys 45 are mounted on the levers 39 and are movable back and forth therewith. Bars 46 are pivoted at 47 on the frame of the stretcher and a s ring 48 normally tends to draw the said ars together. Said bars carry wheels 49 and 50'which contact with belts 51 and serve asV tighteners therefor. These belts pass around the pulleys 45 and contact with the edges of the flattened fab- .ets 55. The belts 51 constitute the essential feature of my present invention. They may be used in various ways and various Y* mealfs may be devised for supporting them and bringing their surfaces into contact with the bends at the edges of the tube. I do not wish to be confined, therefore, to the apparatus herein shown for supporting and operatirg these belts.

The arms 53 have hubs provided with lugs 56 connected across the machine by a link 57 said link insurin uniform travel of the arms 53 and the w eels 52. The arms 53 are 6l in which pressure wheels 62 are mounted.

Coil springs 63 are attached to one arm of said bell cranks and to the lower ortion of the frame 33 and the tension of said springs normally tends to swing 'the arms 61 outwardly and press the feed belts, which pass down under the wheels 62, into engagement with the wall ^of the fabric. A uniform relative movement of the rods 61 and the wheels lthereon is obtained by means of a link 64 pivoted on the bell crank 60 eccentrically with res ect thereto and having a p in 65 that is slldable in a slot 66 in the frame 33. Rods 67 are pivoted on the frame 33 and dep end beside the rod 61 and carry shoes 68 which are pivotally connected with the pivots of the wheels 62. Fingers 69 are carried by these shoes and through the connections of the rods 67 with the rods 61 and the stretcher frame, are always held in a vertical position during the lateral adjustment of the rods 61.

On each side of the stretcher width controlling wheels 70 are arran ed, carried by arms 71 which are mounte on shafts 72. These shafts have cranks 73 thereon, which are connected across the machine by a bar 74. A lever 75 is mounted on one of said -and quickly regulated.

For the urpose of steaming and moistening the fa ric as it leaves the stretcher 1 provide tubular arms 78 having a pipe connection 79 with a source of steam su -ply and carrying tubes 80 and 81 having eads 82 connected by rods 83. The heads 82 are connected at each end of the tubes by links. 89 with the .arms 71. The tubes have longitudinal slots 85k therein and sleeves 85 inclose said tubes and are rotatable thereon, said sleeves having diagonally cut openings 86 therein which, when the sleeves are revolved, gradually expose' the slots in the tubes 'and permit the escape of the steam therein. These sleeves are rotated by any suitable means, preferably by mutilated gears 87 and 88. The gears 87 and'88 areA in mesh with one another and the latter has a crank arm 90 thereon, pivotally connected by a link 91 with the frame of the machine. (See Figsl and 10.) The arms78 are capable of vertical oscillation on the bearings 92 and when the arms 71 are moved to operate the links 89, the said arms 78 and the tubes carried thereby will be oscillated and through such oscillation the crank 90 will be moved to rotate the -sleeves and expose or close the steam slots covered thereby. In this way an automatic opening and closing of the steam slots is permitted through the adjustment of the arms 71 and their pressure wheels. The jets of steam, owing out through the slots in the tubes 80, wil heat and moisten the Walls of the fabric tube and cause them to lie flat on the rolls and be rolled smoothly and evenly on a reel 93. This reel rests upon the roll 24 and is held in place by arms 94 mounted on a shaft 95 and having recessed ends 96 to receive the axis of the reel. The reel will revolve with the revolution of the roll 24 and gradually -wind the fabric thereon'.

The stretcher frame proper, illustrated in Fig. 6, is placed in an upright position in the machine with its corrugated rolls arranged as shown in Fig. 3 and the. fabric tube is4 drawn over this stretcher, the Walls being separated by the spreader and the -`tube being fed between the corrugated rolls and the rolls 5 and 8. The revolution of these rolls will feed the tube downward and the feed belts driven bythe pressure wheels and co erating therewith, will move the edges o the flattened tube downward at a uniform speed with the middle portion, thereby insuringthe same travel for the sides and the middle of the tube, preventing the rows of stitches from sagging and curving up or down from edge to edge of the fabric. The required degree of stretching will be obtained by the passage of the tube over the stretcher, so that when the fabric is wound on the reel it will be stretched and shaped and ready to be formed into garments. Whenever desired, the rolls 5 and 8 may be separated and the removal of the entire stretcher frame from the machine permitted.-

I do not wish in this application to be confined to the .det-ails'of construction herein set forth for effecting a uniform stretching of the fabric, as I am aware that various changes may be made in the machine and substantially the same results obtained, my invention essentially residing in a mechanism by means of which the tube is stretched with rows of stitches running evenly across the fiattened tube.

I claim as my invention:

1. A fabric tube stretching device comprising means for feeding the middle portion of the tube and means for feeding the sides or edges of the tube at the same relative speed .as the middle portion', whereby the rows of stitches will be maintained straight across the fabric.

2. A knit fabric tube stretching device, comprising means disposed within the tube for feeding the middle portion and means also disposed within the tube for feeding the sides thereof at the same relative speed as the middle portion.

3. A knit fabric tube stretching device, comprising means for feeding the middle portion and means for feeding the sides of the tube uniformly with respect to the middle portion and simultaneously stretching the tube.

4. A knit fabric tube stretching device comprising means disposed within the tube for feeding the middle portion, means also disposed within the tube for feeding the sides thereof uniformly with respect to the middle portion, said side feeding means effecting a stretching or widening of the tube.

5. A fabric tube stretching device, including belts and means for driving the same, sald belts contacting with the inner wall of a tube, for the purpose specied.

6. A knit fabric tube stretching device, including belts disposed within the tube and a driving means therefor, said belts contacting with the edges of the flattened tube, for the purpose specified.

7. A knit fabric tube stretching device comprising means for feeding the edges of the flattened tube 'and means for feeding the middle portion thereof, said middle portion feeding means driving said 'side portion feeding means.

8. A knit fabric tube stretching device, including feed rolls between which the middle portion of the fabric is fed, and means for feeding the edges of the flattened tube at the same relative speed as said middle portion.

9. A knit fabric tube stretching device. comprising feed rolls between which the middle portion of the fabric passes, and feed belts arranged to contact with the edges of the flattened fabric.

10. A knit fabric tube stretching device comprising feed rolls between which the middle portionI of the fabric passes, feed belts arranged to contact with the sides or edges of the flattened tube and engaged and driven by said feed rolls.

11. A knit fabric tube stretching device including feed rolls engaging the middle portion of the fabric, feed belts Contactin with the edges or side walls of the tube an driven by said feed rolls, and said feed rolls and belts being disposed within said tube.

12. A fabric tube stretching device including feed rolls between which the middle portion ofthe fabric is fed, means for feed ing the edges of the fabric, said feed rolls being capable of relative adjustment to render them operative or inoperative.

13. A fabric tube stretcher including feed rolls between which the middle Yportion* of thefabric is fed, and means for feeding the edges of the fabric, one of said rolls being yieldingly held with respect to the others.

14. A fabric tube stretcher comprising feed rolls having yielding surfaces, corrugated rolls arranged in pairs between said first named rolls, the walls of the fabric passing between said yielding surfaced rolls and said corrugated surfaced rolls, and feeding the middle portion of the fabric, and means for feeding the Aedges thereof simultaneously.

15. A fabric tube stretcher comprising a driving roll, a similar roll driven from said first named roll and having an oscillating movement toward and from said rst named roll, rolls having roughene'd surfaces between which and said driving roll and said driven roll the wall of the fabric passes, .and means for increasing or decreasing the pressure of said driven roll on the fabric.

16. A fabric tube stretcher comprising rolls having yielding surfaces, corrugated rolls between which and 'said yielding surfaced rolls the fabric passes, belts passing between said corrugated rolls and driven thereby and said belts contacting with the edges of the tube.

17. A fabric tube stretcher com rising a frame, means for feeding the mi dle ortion of the tube, means for feeding the e ges of the tube uniformly with respect to the middle portion, and means for centering said feeding means.

18. The combination, with feed rolls, of a fabric tube stretcher including rollsl and feed belts, said belts engaging the edges of the fabric and means for centering said stretcher with respect to said first named rolls. l

19. A fabric tube stretcher including means for feeding the middle portion of the tube, means for feeding the edges thereof uniformly with respect to the middle portion, said edge feeding means being capable of lateral adjustment to increase or decrease the width of the tube.

20. A fabric tube stretcher comprising a frame, means for feeding the middle portion of the tube, means for feeding the edges thereof, and a spreader disposed within the tube and separating the edges thereof.

21. A fabric tube stretcher comprising a frame, means for feeding the middle portion of the tube, means for feeding the edges thereof, and yieldingly held spreader arms operating to press apart or separate the opposite edges of the tube.

A22. A fabric tube stretcher comprising means for feeding the tube, and relatively movable stretcher belts disposed within and engaging the side walls of the tube.

23. A fabric tube stretcher including Sprin pressed arms disposed within the tube an contacting with the side walls thereof and pivotally connected for relative movement, pulleys carried by said arms and feed belts passing around said pulleys.

24. fabric tube stretcher comprising pivoted tube stretching arms and feed belts carried thereby, and width controlling wheels between which and said belts the edges or sides of the fabric pass.

25. 'A fabric tube stretcher including feed belts and tube width controlling arms cooperating therewith, and a heating and moistening device.

26. The combination, with a -fabric tube stretcher, of a heating andumoistening de- Vice and means for automatically regulating the discharge of the heat-ing and moistening agent.

27. The combination, with a fabric tube stretcher, of a steam heating and moistening tube having means for discharging steam against the fabric tube and means for automatically regulating the discharge of the steam from said tube.

28. The combination, with a fabric tube stretcher, of a slotted steam delivering tube, a sleeve therefor having a diagonal slot, the exposure of the slot in said steam tube increasing with the rotation of said sleeve and means controlling the movement of said sleeve.

29. The combination, with a fabric tube' stretcher including width controlling arms and feed belts, wheels between which and said belts the fabricmoves, supports for said wheels, and a heating and mo1stening device connected with said supports.

30. rlhe combination, with an u right machine, of means for feeding a abric tube frame, of rolls mounted therein between which a knit fabric tube is adapted to be fed, a stretcher 4frame adapted to be placed within the tube between said rolls, rolls mounted in said stretcher frame andbetween which and said first named rolls the middle portion of the tube is held and fed, and belts driven by said stretcher frame rolls and engaging the sides of the tube to feed the same uni ormly with respect to the middle portion thereof.

33. A knit fabric tube stretching device including belts disposed within the tube and a drlving means therefor, said belts contacting with the edg of the iattened tube, and a tube opening means disposed in advance of said belts.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of November 1909.

FRANKLIN CHATFIELD.

Witnesses:

RICHARD PAUL, L. C. CRONEN. 

